Four Charger teams headed to conference finals

The Irvine Chargers continue their success this season with four teams playing in the conference finals Saturday.

The Junior Clinic team plays against Bellflower at 9 a.m. at Salesian High School in Los Angeles. The other three teams play at Irvine Stadium with Clinic Blue facing off against Inglewood at 11 a.m. The Midget squad (ages 13-14) plays Woodcrest at 3 p.m. and the Pee Wee Blue squad faces Inglewood at 7 p.m.

JUNIOR CLINIC

The Irvine Chargers have extended their incredible season, reaching the NFL Championship game with a 13-0 victory over the Compton Titans. The Chargers (10-0) faced the tough Compton squad that had a reputation for being very physical. The Chargers were led by team captains Kassius Ashtiani, Shyne Shaw, Deandre Brunings and Justin Hakola-Bentor.

The game started with the Chargers receiving the ball, however after four downs, they turned the ball over to the Compton Titans. The defense led by Quincy Craig, Jayden Myvett, Jack Hinds, Sammy Sandovaland Ben Zeppa, took the field, intent on keeping their shut-out streak alive.

The Chargers have allowed 25 points in 10 games, and have shut out nine teams. The offense for the Chargers, led by their great offensive line, took the field again. The offensive line, led by Kade Acab, Joey Ricci, Dylan Durazo, Danny Jazedyk, and Jah-Jah Hawkins, opened up some running room for Kassius Ashtiani to score the first points of the game.

After a successful extra point conversion, the Chargers were up 7-0. The Compton team fought hard, and often, trying to avoid elimination. But the Irvine Chargers just kept finding ways to win, adding a second touchdown by Kassius Ashtiani to go up 13-0.

The defense held off the Titans, with stellar play from Kyle Pitcher, Shyne Shaw, Quincy Craig, and Deandre Brunings.

With the championship game separating the Chargers from a shot at the Super Bowl, the team made sure to make a statement by beating the Titans. The game ended with Irvine taking a couple knees, to end the game, without running up the score. Next for the Chargers is the undefeated Bellflower Broncos. (10-0) the winner of this game will move on and play in the Super Bowl Dec. 1 in Carson. The game will take place at Salesian High this Saturday at 9 a.m.

The two teams will put their undefeated records on the line.

CLINIC BLUE

The Irvine Chargers Clinic squad continued their winning streak deep into this playoff season with a 42-6 win overwhelming the Newport Mesa Seahawks. The victory was the eighth straight win for the Chargers. During the streak Irvine has outscored opponents, 308-24, and in the last five games the Big Blue Wrecking Crew has scored more than 40 points in each contest.

In Saturday's game, it was apparent the Newport Mesa team's game plan was to own the clock and keep the Chargers offense off the field with their ball controlled game plan. In the first half the Seahawks ran 34 plays to the Chargers seven plays and maintained the ball for 16:50.

While the Chargers only had three offensive possessions in the first half they made the most of each. With 3:11 remaining in the first quarter, after only four offensive plays, the Chargers Garrett Riley scored from one yard out. Anthony Davidson kicked the extra point to make the score 8-0 Chargers.

Newport continued to keep a hold on the ball with a 13 play 53 yard scoring drive to make the score 8-6 deep into the seond quarter.

However, with only six minutes to go until half and the game still close several key plays turned the game in the Chargers favor.

On second down with the ball at their own 43 yard line, Irvine's Marcus Green took a handoff and scampered 57 yards for a touchdown. Again, Davidson added the kicked extra point to make the score 16-6.

The Seahawks continued to control the game with a ground attack and safe passing game. With only two seconds to go in the half Irvine's Elyjah Rush intercepted a Newport Mesa pass at the Charger 33 yard line.

With only one play to run the Chargers Patrick McMorris took the handoff, ran to daylight, and found the end zone from 67 yards out with no time remaining on the clock. The Chargers had only run 7 plays in the first half scoring on 3 and taking a 22 to 6 lead into half time. With the Irvine running game producing big results from limited touches the support team opened gapping holes on the way to big scores. Led by Max Gale, Koby Robins, Cristian Pilimai, Russell Sung, Will Leys, Trey Silber, Damarian Ward, Jake Coleman, and Jeromah Lualemaga the Irvine runners continually found daylight.

While the game had been close for a brief period the score had been opened up with the 2 late Charger touchdowns just before half.

The third and fourth quarters were dominated by the Irvine defense and the continued talent of the Charger runners with big plays for scores. The second half defense was led by Michael Matthews and supported by Ben Miller, Jeffrey Graham, Cayden Seeber, Will Smith, and Max Gale. The Seahawks had gained 117 yards total for the game and only 44 total yards in the second half as the Charger defense wore down the interior line and took control.

In the third quarter the Chargers' Marcus Green score twice to make the score 36-6. With 3:54 minutes to go in the game Irvine's Garrett Riley ended the scoring with a touchdown run to make the final score Irvine Chargers 42, Newport Mesa Seahawks 6.

The team is one step closer to their goal of a return trip and Super Bowl victory.

PEE WEE BLUE

The Irvine Chargers defeated the Bellflower Broncos, 20-8, this past Saturday to advance to the conference finals. The Broncos pinned back the Charger offense inside the 3 yard early in the first quarter on a Bronco punt.

On the first play the Broncos stopped the Chargers in their end zone for a safety. The Chargers defense led by Hakim McMorris, Joe Lunetto and Freddie Villamar on the line continue to penetrate into the Bronco backfield.

J.T. Daniels came up with a 53 yard punt to pin the Broncos deep in the beginning of the second quarter. Both offenses came up short on their possessions, but with about three minutes left in the half the Chargers took over on their 15 yard line. Nikko Remiggio started off with an 11 yard power run over and through the Bellflower defense to get Irvine going.

After a pass interference call Jack Shippy would haul in a pass for 27 yards from quarterback JT Daniels. Daniels was on target all day long, he connected with Rian Fields on a 26 yard pass play to the 5 yard line with 55 seconds left in the half. Remiggio who started the Charger drive would finish it with a 5 yard run evading all defenders, the extra point failed and made it a 6-2 game and the first Charger lead of the game.

The Chargers stopped the first drive with a leaping interception from safety Tre Ballard. The Broncos came back though and converted on a 31-yard pass play to take an 8-6 lead.

The extra point was blocked with McMorris and Zeke Alleman ending the attempt. The Chargers answered back late in the third quarter with a Daniels to Fields pass getting Irvine deep in the red zone. Remiggio added another score on the ground from 3 yards out, Daniels added the two-point kick to give Irvine the lead once again, 14-6.

Blocking from Stephon Robins, Marc "Bubba" Filia along with offensive line of Jimmy Leys, McMorris, Jacob Puente, Cory Bautista and Matthew Barrera was key to stopping the Bronco defense, known for a blitz heavy defense. Defensively Chargers Chris Castillo, Fields, Zeke Alleman, Remiggio and Puente made big plays to stop the Broncos in the second half.

A.J. McKormik came up with a big interception to stop a Bronco drive halfway through the fourth quarter. The defense came up a big all game long, but the clincher came late in the fourth quarter when Filia chased down the Bronco punter and made a big tackle in the end zone causing a fumble, with Shippy recovering it for the Chargers and added to their lead, also ending all hope for a Bellflower comeback and a final victory 20-6. The Chargers (9-1) now play the conference championship against Inglewood (8-2) this Saturday at 7 p.m. at Irvine Stadium.